A few weeks back, I saw a movie that thoroughly disturbed me - to the point where I had trouble falling asleep at night. It was called 'Untraceable', and it was about a murderer who uses technology - more specifically, a website entitled www.KillWithMe.com - to commit his crimes. As more and more people log onto this website, the more tortured one individual becomes, and it can all be viewed online. To be quite honest, it was not only disturbing, but borderline inappropriate.

This movie is being released in the UK this week, and apparently there were some extremely controversial marketing tactics being used to promote it. The first is a Facebook page that mimics the "Kill With Me" website. As more and more Facebook users become "fans" of the page, the more gruesome the torture becomes on one (fictional) person. The next technique is through a site called Seesmic. It pretended that a person disappeared, was found, and now is being held hostage. "Footage" of this person could then be viewed on this site.

The company behind these horrific marketing plots is called Picture Production Company, and interactive marketing company run by Dan Light. Much to their dismay, both promotional tools were removed off the internet. Light's reaction? He claims that he anticipated this and has back up techniques planned already. He admitted he knew that he was "pushing boundaries".

My question is, in the world of marketing, how far is "too far"? If Dan Light knew that his ideas were going to be shot down, unappreciated and removed, then why did he bother? Was it for the buzz, even if it was negative? My only hope is that both web sources had age safeguards and were not viewed by anyone who was deeply disturbed by them.